Plymouth

Plymouth's population increased by about 15,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Plymouth increased by 6.5%, from just under 241,000 to 256,000.

The addition of almost 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Plymouth was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South West's second-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Plymouth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Plymouth increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South West and became slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 11,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 6,000.

About 17.0% of people in Plymouth are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Plymouth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Plymouth

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Plymouth was among those who said they had no religion, rising 15.7 points.

In 2011, 35.4% of respondents in Plymouth gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 19.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.5% to 32.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Plymouth, 62.5% said they were Christian, compared with 79.2% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 7.1% to 7.1%.

In Plymouth, 7.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, the same percentage as in 2001. In South West, 7.9% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Plymouth increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South West and Plymouth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Plymouth

Plymouth saw the South West's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (37.1%) people aged 16 and over in Plymouth said they were single, compared with 30.2% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 48.4% to 43.1%.

Across the region, Bristol saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 40.2% in 2001 to 47.0% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.1% to 31.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Plymouth, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.1% to 11.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31.4%) households had only one person, compared with 32.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Plymouth which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 34.6% to 31.0%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. The improvement brought health in Plymouth close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Plymouth increased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Plymouth, the South West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Plymouth saw the South West's third-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Plymouth said they were in education, compared with 3.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 52.0% to 50.9%.

Across the region, only Bath and North East Somerset (from 3.5% to 5.1%) and Exeter (from 4.4% to 5.6%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of students.

The percentage of students in Plymouth increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Plymouth, the South West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Plymouth

The percentage of Plymouth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.3% to 6.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.5%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.7% in 2001. The percentage of Plymouth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.0% to 89.4%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 7.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Plymouth at a faster rate than in South Hams (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Plymouth).

In Plymouth, the proportion of private renting increased from 12.9% in 2001 to 20.2% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby South Hams increased from 10.7% to 14.3%.

Across the South West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 11.1% to 17.0%.

The rate of social housing in Plymouth fell from 21.1% to 19.3%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 63.2% to 58.7%.

Private renting in Plymouth increased by 7.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Plymouth, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Plymouth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.1% to 6.5% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 66.8% in 2001. The percentage of Plymouth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.2% to 14.0%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Plymouth decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Plymouth, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Plymouth working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 11.2% to 8.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.1% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 13.3% in 2001 to 10.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Plymouth decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Plymouth, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Plymouth with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.3% to 9.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (27.0%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 28.4% in 2001. The percentage of households in Plymouth without children increased from 63.3% to 64.0%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.4% in 2001 to 8.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Plymouth residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.5% to 3.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.0% in 2001 to 2.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Plymouth remained close to 3.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Plymouth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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